


blinding light

by mingupingu



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Angst, Blind Character, Fluff, M/M, and has a weak immune system, but he in love with yunho, mingi is blind, yunho is also whipped
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:21:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21576511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mingupingu/pseuds/mingupingu
Summary: Mingi has a crush on Yunho, the upbeat boy that always hangs around him when he's at the school library.Mingi was born blind. He’s lived with the ailment for 20 years now, having learned ways on how to help himself from it. Take not running into walls anymore for example. Along with being blind, he’s also been diagnosed with a heart problem, a weak immune system, and frequent acute pneumonia. This causes him to spend most of his time in a hospital bed, hooked up to many machines. However, when he’s not in a hospital bed, he’s just your normal average college student. Stressing and dying over school work all while trying not to go insane with huge amounts of coffee. Even though college is hell, Mingi would gladly take it over the hospital any day. Thankfully, today was one of those days.
Relationships: Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 82





	1. it's a date

**Author's Note:**

> guys i just wrote this while listening to some angsty songs i dont even know where im going with this story and the writing for it probs sucks but lemme know if y'all like it! i dont think i'll update this as often as i do with my others cuz this was just a spur of the moment kind of thing!

Mingi was born blind. He’s lived with the ailment for 20 years now, having learned ways on how to help himself from it. Take not running into walls anymore for example. Along with being blind, he’s also been diagnosed with a heart problem, a weak immune system, and frequent acute pneumonia. This causes him to spend most of his time in a hospital bed, hooked up to many machines. However, when he’s not in a hospital bed, he’s just your normal average college student. Stressing and dying over school work all while trying not to go insane with huge amounts of coffee. Even though college is hell, Mingi would gladly take it over the hospital any day. Thankfully, today was one of those days.

Right now, he was facing the crisis of his life. He’s falling in love with a man who probably doesn’t even know his name. You see, there’s this guy that works at the college library. He’s always coming over to talk to Mingi when he’s there to spend some time away from the loud crowds. He talks about all kinds of things, but what gets Mingi falling so hard for him, is how he can just feel from his voice how enthusiastic he is about every little thing he talks about. Let it be about books to music to his love for iced coffee in the middle of December. 

Mingi was always good at reading other people’s true colors through their voices. Once, he was able to catch a burglar while he was shopping with his mom as a kid. The police who arrived on the scene were baffled by Mingi’s ability to tell that the guy in question was planning to rob the store all along. The kid couldn’t even see. But Mingi always proved those who thought low of him wrong. It was all thanks to his parents who trained him well into living his best life even if he was blind. 

There he is again. Mingi can hear his footsteps coming closer towards him. (Yeah, he can even tell who’s coming at him by the sound of their footsteps.) He quickly closes the braille book in front of him and tried to push it back in his backpack. He doesn’t know why he doesn’t want the guy to know he’s blind, usually he’s really open about it, but just for a little, he wants him to think Mingi was normal. 

“Hey, there! Oh, wait right, I gotta be quiet.” Mingi could already tell that the man said it with a smile. Mingi gives a small ‘hello’ back at him. 

“How’s your day been?” 

“It’s fine so far. Nobody’s tried to snatch my glasses yet so that’s a plus.” That was another thing that Mingi had to put with unfortunately. Mingi likes to wear fake glasses as an accessory, but also to hide the fact that his eyes are not like other people’s. His eyes may look normal when you see him from afar but a closer look and you could tell that the college student was blind because of his grey eyes. So of course being in a prestigious college full of some really nasty rich kids, they tease him by trying to take away his glasses, justifying that ‘it won’t help him see anything anyway.’ 

“Ah, good! Just remember what I told you before. You can always come to me about those assholes and I would gladly teach them a thing or two about messing with you.” The guy said. A blush was creeping up on Mingi’s cheeks.

“Thanks for the offer, but I mean, I don’t even know your name. You’ve never told me before.” Mingi told him, sounding a little sad. 

“Oh, shit.” He heard the guy curse under his breath, but pretended he didn’t hear it. Mingi kept listening in on the man’s intrapersonal conversion he was having out loud. “Ohhhh my god, this is so embarrassing. I can’t believe I’ve been flirting with this guy and I. Never. Told. Him. My. Name. Ahhhh, I’m going to die alone.” He sounded like he was going through an existential crisis at this point. 

“Um, you could just tell me your name instead.” Mingi suggested, not wanting the guy to go down any further into a spiral of panic. He heard him make a hilariously sounding gasp.

“Oh my god, please don’t tell me you heard all of that. Oh god.” the man said nervously. “Please forget whatever you heard! I’m so sorry! I tend to talk to myself a lot like that. Anyways, my name is Yunho! I would say it’s nice to meet you, but I guess it’s pointless since we already know each other.” Yunho was scratching the back of his head out of embarrassment. 

Mingi held out his hand in the direction where he hears Yunho’s voice, “Well, it’s nice to meet you too, Yunho! My name is Mingi!” 

The blonde looked at Mingi’s outstretched hand, taken aback by the motion but heart warmed nonetheless. He took his hand and shook it, like they had met for the first time. This is what drew Yunho into having a crush on Mingi. He’s always done things that took him by surprise. Whether it be the way he would set up a space for Yunho every time he comes to sit at the same table Mingi always sits at in the library or when he tried to find Yunho’s classroom once just to return the pencil he thought he had lost at the library or when Mingi brought Yunho a chocolate milk carton after he complained to the glasses-clad boy about how much he wanted some the other day. 

“So, you were flirting with me this whole time?” Mingi asked with a sweet smile on his face. That smile could kill millions. Yunho started to combust internally, regretting ever existing. He stuttered ‘ums’ and ‘uhs’ before Mingi laughed. “It’s ok! To be honest, I don’t mind it at all,” that killer smile on his face once again. 

“Wh-what? You don’t mind it?” there it is again, the red-haired boy surprised him once again. 

“Of course not! I mean, who wouldn’t want to be flirted with by someone as nice as you?” Mingi laughed. Ohhhh my god, if his smile killed millions, his laugh could clear everyone’s acne. Then, a loud bell rings throughout the campus. Yunho takes a look at the clock before realizing that it’s time for his next class. “Ah, shoot. I gotta get to class. Will I be able to see you again here tomorrow?” 

“Hm, how about we move it to the Choi Cafe in the quad, same time? ” 

Yunho nodded in agreement, “Sounds good! I’ll see you then!” He says before running out, face burning up with excitement. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. His crush had just told him that he didn’t mind Yunho flirting with him. Wait.

It took Yunho this long to realize that they had just set up a date together. 

\---------------

Mingi sat there, dumbfounded over what had just happened after the blonde had ran off to his next class. Did he just make a date with his crush? Did that just happen? He pinched himself to check if he was dreaming. Nope, it was real. Wait until he tells his parents. They’re gonna flip. 

\---------------

“Mingi! It’s time to get up now, you still have classes today!” His dad’s voice was calling out to him but all he could produce was “five more minutes.” Yesterday was a whirlwind for him, so of course, being that he is his mother’s son, he’s still dead ass tired. From finding out his crush was flirting with him all this time to setting up a date with him to telling his parents when they got home last night and then proceeding to crush him in a tight hug. They were so proud to see their baby growing up into a fine young man, who was already getting into a relationship with someone. Mingi tried to tell them that it was just a date, nothing more, but they were too excited to see their boy going on a date with someone he liked to listen. The only thing he hasn’t told them is that he has yet to tell Yunho he’s blind. That was a whole entire conversation for another day. 

He felt someone pull him up on the bed, making him sit upright. Mingi recognized the touch as his father’s. “Come on now, son. You don’t want to be late for your date,” his dad said, the words partially waking Mingi up. “Mmmmmmm, you’re right. Ok. I’ll get up now.” He moved to get out of bed as his dad let his hold go, and went to leave the room, probably to go wake up his mom now. Mornings were always hard for his mom too. 

He brushed his teeth and fixed his hair when he got to the bathroom. Then, he went to get the outfit that his mom had picked out for him to wear for his date last night on the dresser. His mom wasn’t the famous fashion designer Kim Hongjoong for nothing. He had always put out Mingi’s outfits since he was young, since the boy had no taste for fashion at the beginning. But, after spending so much time in his mom’s studio, feeling all the fabrics and their patterns, he’s been able to pick up some sense of style throughout the years. He can tell his clothes apart from each other and remembers the colors of each one of them. It’s all thanks to his mom always letting him know what color the clothing piece is whenever he buys something. He gets changed into the pink knit sweater and white pants before going to put on his glasses that he remembers he put on his bedside table last night. He then navigates his way to his parent’s room in hopes that he can have one of them do his makeup. Mingi didn’t wear makeup mostly, but since he had a date today, he wanted to look extra cute. Luckily, his dad (who was the better one at makeup, sorry mom) was in the room, greeting his son as he arrived at the doorway, also getting ready for work. He gladly did his son’s makeup, using a minimal amount of products, opting for a more softer and natural look. “There! All finished! Ah, my son is so handsome~ I’m sure this date will go great! If not, I might have to find this guy’s address.” His dad said threateningly at that last part. Before Mingi could say anything, he gets up and says that he has to check on the breakfast he was cooking and quickly left the room. Gosh, his dad can be scary sometimes. It’s no wonder he was the principal of the college he’s attending. Everyone knew Park Seonghwa. 

As Mingi goes to put his makeup bag away and fix his school bag, he hears his dad shout from downstairs, “Breakfast is ready!” He throws his bag over his shoulder and hurries his way down, stomach ready to eat. When he gets to the kitchen, he sits at the dining table, feeling his mom’s presence. Mingi could smell the coffee in his hand and the newspaper in his other. He looks up to see his son, making a squealing sound when he saw how cute he looked. “Aw, Mingi! You look so adorable! My baby is growing up, Seonghwa.” He was about to start crying before Mingi tried to stop him. “Ahhh, mom, no!! Don’t cry!” 

“Alright alright now, let’s go eat breakfast before it’s too late and we all leave this house hungry.” Mingi mentally thanked his dad. “Yeah! Breakfast!” the boy said cheerfully. 

He was ecstatic for today and hoped to God that everything will go smoothly. 

Unfortunately, God was just not on his side that day. 


	2. he's probably busy

It’s been 30 minutes and yet still no sign yet of Mingi anywhere. Could he have stood him up? No, Yunho thought. Mingi isn’t that type of person, even if he hasn’t known the guy that long, but he knows enough to have reason to believe that Mingi is a sweetheart and wouldn’t do anything to hurt another person. But then again, maybe he could? Ah, he’s going to go crazy thinking about it. 

Thankfully, he’s at the Choi Cafe where his friends work at as student employees. San comes over to his table, half of him wanting to take his friend’s order, the other half wanting to take a seat next to Yunho and comfort him. Yeosang, who was the manager, gave him the ok to take a quick 15 minute break to go and keep Yunho company since the blonde looked like a helpless puppy with his little pout and all. Wooyoung wanted to do so as well as the blonde was a really close friend to them all, but his older brother didn’t let him and ordered him to wait tables in place of San. The perks of having the manager as your brother. 

The black-haired waiter went to go and make an iced coffee for the both of them before heading down to the table where the big puppy was sitting on the patio out in front of the store. Walking up with two coffees in hand, he said “You look like you just got punched in the gut. Want some coffee to help ease the pain?” Yunho looked at his friend with a small smile, reaching a hand out to take the cup of iced coffee San was handing him. “Don’t worry. I got your usual, on the house this time and don’t even think about arguing with me.” He gave the other a grin. He couldn’t help but huff a laugh at that. “So, what’s got you so down in the dumps?” 

Ah, San knew him so well. But then again, they’ve been friends since kindergarten (along with Yeosang and Wooyung), so of course he would. They’re basically family. Yunho always thought of the four of them as his whole family, people who he’s never had in his life. He was an orphan growing up which led to him being bullied and laughed at when he was just a child. These three were the only ones who stood up for him and wanted to genuinely be friends with him. He knew he could count on them with his life.

“I was supposed to meet with someone here 30 minutes ago- oh well now 40 minutes,” Yunho glanced at his phone’s clock and found that it’s been a few more minutes and yet still no sign of Mingi. “But, as you can see, I seem to have been forgotten by them.” He had that little pout of his as he thought about how he was left alone. He still didn’t want to believe Mingi left him deliberately, that maybe the glasses-clad boy had just been busy and forgot by accident, but boy did he feel like a sad sailor. “Maybe he’s just studying really hard that he forgot about meeting up with me…” Yunho sighed deeply, which signaled to San that this was actually eating at the kid. 

“Hey, now. Don’t be so down in the dumps. I’m sure the guy must have slept in or maybe he could have just lost track of time doing something important. How could anyone stand up such an adorable lost puppy like you?” San reached over to pinch the taller’s cheeks which earned him a childish whine from the other. The black-haired man laughed it off, thinking of how his friend can be such a baby sometimes even though he towers almost everyone on campus at his height. “Have you tried maybe texting or calling the guy? I don’t think it could hurt at this point.” 

Yunho sighed. He wanted to, he really did, but he was so afraid that he would be imposing on Mingi, like he was needy for his attention. Yunho did not want that impression of himself on the other. At the same time, San was right, it has passed a reasonable amount of time. It could warrant for a simple “Hey, I hope I’m not bothering you but, I’m here at the Choi Cafe if you still wanna meet” text or call. Yunho decides that it really wouldn’t hurt to give it a try. That is, until he suddenly gets a call from Mingi the moment he picks up his phone to send that text. “Oh, it’s him! Maybe he really was just caught up with something.” He turns to San with that big dorky smile of his when he’s excited. The black-haired man who was happy for the other to be lifted up from his woes motioned him to hurry up and answer it. 

He quickly answered the call, eager to talk to the glasses-clad boy again. It’s only been a day but he couldn’t help but miss that voice and his adorable smile. He wishes to see it again today. He realizes that this is whipped culture right here, but he couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. He just wanted to be by the other man’s side, where he felt complete and helplessly in love. 

“Hello, Mingi? I was just about to text you!” The blonde exclaimed as he smiled.

When the voice on the other side of the phone spoke, Yunho suddenly broke into a cold sweat. 

“Hello, is this Yunho?” It was not Mingi. The voice was a deep voice that could match Mingi’s own if not for this man having a more sharper tone to his. 

“Y-yes, this is him. May I ask who is this and where is Mingi?” He couldn’t help the worried feeling that was creeping up his stomach into his chest. Even San had taken notice to the taller’s emotions as he watched his face slowly turn white. The man responded with words that he didn’t expect to hear. Words that he didn’t want to hear. 

“This is Mingi’s father. Please come over as soon as possible. We’re in the hospital, and Mingi is in critical condition.” 

Yunho’s heart just dropped. 


	3. he finds out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hoo boy i havent updated this in a while... and its not exactly a well written update at that but, i thought i might as well get this out instead of leaving you guys in the dark for so long ;-; im sorry but ill try to make the next one better T_T

He should have known. 

He should have known that hoping to God was going to end up like this. He always does. God was never on his side to begin with. That’s why he gave him all this baggage to disable him from doing things normal, healthy people can do. 

So of course God just had to give him pneumonia. Again. On the day of his date. The one he was so excited and waited so long for. With Yunho. But he can’t face the other anymore. Not while he’s in the hospital, laying on the hospital bed for what feels like the 9999999th time of his life. 

The pain was a little worse than he had thought. Usually, it would be bearable for him but somehow he just couldn’t breathe, like the world was caving in on him with no room for air. The doctors had rushed him in to the tests to pinpoint what was causing this new found symptom and possibly moving him to surgery due to how fatal this can be. His parents were worried sick watching their son being wheeled away from them again. How many times has it been? How many more times will this be? They didn’t want to think of it anymore, afraid of more tears pouring out. 

As more minutes had passed while they waited for an update, Mingi’s father checked his watch, suddenly remembering his son’s date. He quickly fished his son’s phone out of his pocket, which he thought to bring with him to their drive to the hospital when his son suddenly collapsed at the dining table while eating breakfast. 

It was a horror to see. The boy was seizing up, which was rare to happen to him, especially since he’s been so healthy lately, eating right, drinking water, taking his vitamins, all that. 

They didn’t tell him he had a seizure again. 

Seonghwa looked through the contacts of the phone to find Yunho. Once he tracked it down, he called the other boy to tell him of the news. He felt bad for having to put this burden on him but he owes it to Yunho to let him know of what happened to Mingi after having leaving him waiting alone for him all this time. 

The other end picks up. 

“Hello, Mingi? I was just about to text you!” a relieved voice comes through. 

“Hello, is this Yunho?” 

The line stays silent for a bit. 

“Y-yes, this is him. May I ask who is this and where is Mingi?”

Seonghwa stops for a moment and thinks. Should he really tell the boy what had happened to Mingi and burden him with worry? But at the same time, if he was Yunho, he would’ve wanted to know what happened to his date too… He thinks that maybe this would be good for Mingi to have the other in close proximity, after all he’s seen the way his son lights up when he speaks of Yunho and how much affection he has for the other. He takes a deep breath away from the phone and then answers. 

“This is Mingi’s father. Please come over as soon as possible. We’re in the hospital, and Mingi is in critical condition.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yunho was not panicking. He was just speed-walking through the hospital halls to find where Mingi was, no problem. It’s not like he was running around in circles asking every single nurses’ station he could find where the boy was being held in. He was about to go up to another one before a familiar voice called out to him from behind. 

“Yunho, is that you?” 

He turns around to see an older man, hair black as night, dressed in suit pants and a white button up. He looked a bit intimidating at first, Yunho had to admit.

“Ah, y-yes? That’s me.” 

Wow, of course Yunho, way to sound like an adult. But to be honest, he identifies himself as ‘tired college student who has no idea what the fuck he’s doing’ instead of an adult for obvious reasons. Can’t even give a straight answer. 

“Oh, thank goodness you’re here. I’m so sorry to have put you through this, but I thought that maybe you would have wanted to be with Mingi and that Mingi would have wanted to be with you. Oh! Right, I’m Mingi’s father. Park Seonghwa.” 

WAIT A GODDAMN MINUTE. 

Ok, first, if Yunho thought that this man was intimidating before he completely throws that out the window. He was a pure gentleman at best and he already strives to be like him. 

Second, MINGI’S FATHER IS THE PARK SEONGHWA!? THE PRINCIPAL OF THE COLLEGE!?

‘Calm down, Yunho’ he tells himself. 

“Ah, no! Please, I should thank you for letting me know. I was worried sick about him and I’m just glad to be here and stay with him, if you’ll let me. Sir.”

He tries to look the man in the eye but is overcome with fear over how he might give the man the wrong impression of him and not want Yunho to be around his son anymore in a heartbeat. 

The man smiles. Oh how Yunho reminded him of how he used to be when he was young.

“Of course I would. Come, I’ll show you to where Mingi is. The doctors were able to get him stable but there’s not telling if he’ll wake up anytime soon…” 

Seonghwa explains to Yunho as they both walk down the corridor to turn around the corner at the end and into a room where Yunho sees another man sitting on a chair by the bed, who looks to be about the same age as Seonghwa. His eyes then travel to the figure lying in the bed. He gasps. 

There was Mingi. Hooked up to machines and IVs. Eyes closed peacefully almost as if they don't want to open. He looked so weak. He looked so fragile, like he was going to break with one touch. 

Yunho’s chest suddenly hurt as his eyes wandered over the boy’s body. He hates seeing this. He thinks of how just yesterday and the days before that, Mingi was smiling and laughing, healthy and happy as can be, not failing to make his heart skip a beat whenever he was with him. Now, he was in this bed, suffering from all sorts of things that Yunho can only imagine what kind of pain he must be going through. 

Seonghwa puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder which takes him out of his train of thought. 

“Don’t worry. Mingi is a strong fighter.” 

He smiles at the boy. 

He was right. He shouldn’t be weak like this and think of the bad things. He had to be strong for Mingi. Even though he may not know what the boy was experiencing right now, he had to fight for Mingi. He loved him too much not to. Wiping away the tears that he didn’t even know had been falling, he takes a deep breath and takes a step into the room. 

The other man sitting by the bedside takes notice.

“Ah, you must be Yunho. Hello, I am Mingi’s mother. My name is Hongjoong. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Hongjoong looks tiny in comparison to Seonghwa, who was now standing beside him where he was sitting. If he was being honest, they looked like a cute couple indeed. Yunho bows politely. 

“Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you too. I apologize for the intruding.” 

He says, hoping that he wasn’t interrupting the man’s moment with his son. 

“No, it’s fine. You weren’t interrupting anything. I’m sure Mingi would be glad to have you here.” 

Hongjoong gives him a warm smile that gives off the same comforting feeling as his mom’s does, and Yunho feels grateful for the kindness the two have shown him so far. Now, he sees where that trait of Mingi’s came from. 

They all get acquainted with each other, with Seonghwa and Hongjoong already treating Yunho as if he were their own son too, before the two older men take their leave in order to attend to some business matters, entrusting Yunho to watch over Mingi. 

That’s how he ends up here alone, sitting by the hospital bed, holding Mingi’s hand in his as he studies the other boy’s face. He notices the curve of his jaw to his plump lips and that cute little mole on the side of his cheek. Yunho always wanted to trace his fingers over it. He also takes note of how cute the boy looks without his glasses too. Man, anything on Mingi was cute. And that’s where Yunho once again thinks that he’s so whipped. 

His thoughts come to an end when he notices the twitching in Mingi’s face, before the boy opens his eyes to the light coming from the window in the room. Yunho gets up from his seat to face closer to Mingi, checking to see if there was anything wrong or if he was ok. Mingi looks up at his face, before saying something that confused the heck out of Yunho. 

“M-mom? Is that you?” 

The older boy was about to say something but Mingi continued. 

“Mom, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was able to see.” 

A smile crosses over his face like he was off in space as he stares up at Yunho, eyes blank and far away in the distance. The blonde tries to wave his hand in front of Mingi to test something out. He still looked off into the distance. It took a minute before Yunho pieces things together. 

“Mingi...It’s Yunho.” 

He’s never seen the boy move back so quick. 

“Y-Yunho..? Oh no. Oh god. Please… please don’t tell me you just heard what I said…” 

No, no, no, no, no. Why do you have to be so cruel, God? It wasn’t enough that Mingi had to endure the pain his body inflicted upon him everyday, now he was going to lose his sun, the one that brought him up when he was down, the one man he had ever fallen in love with? 

Mingi buried his hands into his face to cover his eyes, he was ashamed of his blindness for the first time in his life. Never did he want to have Yunho find out, but especially not like this. He can’t help but start to cry as he thinks of what the older might think of him now. A worthless and useless bag of bones, just like they all used to say. He’s scared to lose him and that warmth he knew so dearly, but now that he knows, he’ll leave him just like the rest of them did. All his friends did…

“Please...don’t leave me because of it…”

Yunho never felt so bad to see the younger like this. Sure, he just found out his crush/love of his life was blind all this time, but that doesn’t mean he would love him any less, let alone leave him because of it. He had to get that point across to the other. He didn’t want to see him like this. He tries to diffuse the other’s worries by putting a hand over his shoulder carefully. The boy flinched a little at the touch before easing up. 

“Mingi, even if you are blind, I still would love you just as much.” 

Yunho was sure he heard even harder sobs as he felt him reach out a hand, to which he catches with his own, intertwining their fingers together as he envelopes the fragile boy in a warm embrace, the sobs getting muffled from Mingi snuggling closer into Yunho’s chest. 

For the first time today, he didn’t feel any more worries. Just the warmth of the one he loves against his heart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im on twitter! @mingupingus
> 
> comments and kudos are appreciated! they mean a lot! please let me know what you guys think of it so far, and where you would want the story to go after this! im curious to know your opinions!


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